Fire-forged
by Yessica-N
Summary: "Nobody starts out as great friends." Undyne and Papyrus are not an exception to this rule.
1. Chapter 1

**I got a prompt on tumblr for Undyne and Papyrus friendship, based around Pap's quote: "Nobody starts as great friends." Again, this was meant as a one-shot but I'm going to do it in seperate chapters because I wrote A LOT.**

* * *

Undyne has had her fair share of overzealous admirers throughout her career as captain of the royal guard.

Indeed, even now, she could barely set foot in the general Snowdin area without being accosted by that over-energetic kid, whom had somehow declared themselves her biggest fan. And truthfully, it didn't particularly bother her. Quite the contrary in fact, since it made her feel like the protagonists in her favorite anime shows: A revered hero, respected and esteemed by all!

And yet, still she was taken by surprise. No amount of glorification, no amount of vigorous training or carefully honed discipline, could have possibly prepared her for _this_.

Undyne liked her sleep. She was an active, headstrong sort of monster, whom rarely stood still longer than the time needed to tie her shoelaces. But to keep up this energetic demeanor, she required a decent rest each night. Preferably somewhere between 6 to 8 hours.

Imagine her irritation at being awoken at 2 AM by a series of loud knocks on her front door.

Being ever so pragmatic when it came to dealing with things that annoyed her, the disgruntled fish monster mumbled some very ill-intentioned words at her pillow, rolled over, and returned to sleep.

Sadly for her, the person at her door was very much a practical mind also, and was undeterred by his unanswered bangs. The knocking continued, with short intervals that were just the right length for Undyne to think her nightly visitor had left, but not long enough to actually fall back asleep.

Eventually she could take no more.

If this maniac wanted her to open her door, open her door she would. And maybe kill whomever was in front of it too.

She ungracefully rolled out of bed, trudged to her door, and ripped it open hard enough to almost tear it straight from its hinges.

The sight that greeted her was... unusual, to say the least. There are an endless variety of monsters in the Underground, and Undyne had at least some familiarity with most of them, but she had never encountered a skeleton before.

And certainly not one who dressed as this one did.

Even in Waterfall's dim lighting, the neon-pink shirt, adorned with various sequins spelling out the words 'Cool Dude' was clearly visible. He was also, for some unfathomable reason, wearing hot-pants.

Indeed, looking back on it, it's safe to say Undyne's first impression of Papyrus was less than favorable.

"Greetings, captain of his majesty's royal guard! I hope I didn't wake you?" The skeleton asked, loud voice echoing of the caverns rather unpleasantly.

Undyne wasn't sure if he was joking or not, so she ended up shaking her head ludicrously. It wasn't meant as an affirmative, but the skeleton took it as one anyway. He looked visibly relieved at that, grin growing impossibly wider.

"Oh, goodie!" he said, clasping his hands together happily. "I did not wish to disturb you, but thought it wise to come at once anyway."

Undyne was pretty sure she had never met anybody who used the word 'goodie' unironically before.  
When she failed to react to his statement either way, the monster on her porch continued.

"I, the Great Papyrus, request to join the royal guard!"

She must be less awake than she thought. For a moment, Undyne could swear his ridiculously long scarf blew in a none-existent breeze as he was talking.

But that was probably just her imagination.

Silence reigned for a couple of seconds, while the fish monster blinked at her visitor a few times. Then, deciding she was simply too tired to deal with this kind of shit, she promptly closed the door in his face.

* * *

The next morning, he was still there.

Undyne had almost forgotten all about the strange nightly events, chalking it up to be nothing more than a dream. She should really stop drinking so much golden flower tea right before bed.

But when she strolled towards her window, stretching and yawning as she went, and pulled open the curtain to let in the meager Waterfall light, she instead encountered his skeletal face on the other side of the glass.

The sound the usually so composed Captain of the royal guard made then, was quite undignified indeed, and Undyne was glad nobody was there to witness it.

She immediately barged outside, in fact managing to throw her door completely off the hinges this time. It landed on the ground with a heavy thud, and the startled skeleton, Undyne couldn't even recall his name anymore, turned towards her with his ever present smile.

"Oh, good morning! I was wondering wh-" He started, but the angry fish monster barreled right over him.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Her voice was slightly higher than usual, but he didn't seemed bothered by her loudness.

His face scrunched up in confusion for the barest of seconds. "I thought I told you last night? I have come to request a position in the royal guard."

Undyne gaped at him much like a fish out off water, no pun intended. "I- I don't- Have you been here all night?"

"Yes." As if that wasn't a fucking weird thing to do.

She looked him up and down. He didn't look like he was particularly tired or cold, not at all like Undyne would expect a monster to look if they had been really standing outside her front door an entire night.

A tiny sliver of guilt made itself known then. She shouldn't have thrown the door in his face the previous evening. She should have either heard him out, or clearly told him to come back at another time.

She turned back, standing in her open doorway and gesturing impatiently. "Come on then, what are you waiting for now?"

He blinked twice at her, before smiling widely again and bounding over, awkwardly wiping his boots on her doormat before following her in.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Undyne had the nagging feeling she had no idea what she was getting into.

* * *

The skeleton didn't sit still.

He bounced on his seat excitingly, head darting around to admire Undyne's assorted weapons collection hung along the walls. Most of them were just boring old monster stuff, but one or two dated back to the time before the war, or were even human relics from ages before that.

They were the captain's pride, and it did give her joy to see somebody as interested in them as she herself was. But she wished he would stop moving around in her peripheral vision while she was making tea. It made her nervous.

"What did you say your name was?" She asked loudly, removing the kettle from the stove and carrying it over to the table.

"The Great Papyrus." He exclaimed, fidgeting around as if he was resisting the urge to jump up into a dramatic pose. Undyne rather had the feeling he actually was. "But you can just call me Papyrus, of course."

Of course. She set the tea down in front of him, watching as he cradled the cup delicately.

The captain sat down across from him, observing the skeleton quietly as he took a sip. His face scrunched up at the bitterness, one eye socket giving an impressive little twitch. Then, with a completely neutral face and even voice. "Thank you. It's very good."

Undyne wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic, or just a very good liar, so she didn't say anything.

"Right... Papyrus..." She began after a little while, when it became apparent the skeleton would be completely content sitting there, staring at her collection with stars in his eyes. "Tell me why you want to be in the royal guard."

He looked at her and blinked, as if it took him a second to register the question. "I don't know."

Out of all possible reasons: I want glory. I want fame. I want to punch stuff. 'I don't know' wasn't the answer Undyne had been expecting.

"You... don't know?"

Papyrus was still grinning and it was getting kind of creepy by now. He nodded as if his lack of motivation was the most normal thing in the world.

Undyne could do nothing but rub one hand across her forehead, barely containing the frustrated sigh threatening to spill out.

"You know we don't just let anyone in the guard, right?" She asked. Something about this guy made her voice almost automatically take on a condescending tone, as if she were talking to a child.

His mild expression showed her Papyrus was used to such treatment, and the thought made her feel queasy for a second.

"I'm from Snowdin." He informed her, and asking what this statement had to do with anything was on the tip of her tongue, when she remembered...

The Canine Unit. Right.

Good fighters, every single one of them, but their public presentation could use some work.

Still, what kind of passive-aggressive bullshit was this? But two can play that game.

"I meant you need to do an entrance exam, you dork." Her grin was full of teeth as she cracked her knuckles menacingly. "Defeat me in one-on-one battle, and you're in."

Her glare was fiery and pumped and the intended effect would be for Papyrus to cower before her. To be intimidated and scurry on over home to do whatever it is skeletons do in their free time.

That would have been the intended effect.

The actual reaction Undyne got was quite different.

He stared at her, cheshire grin still firmly in place, blinked again, then clasped his hands in front of his chest.

"Wowie! That sounds like fun!"

* * *

 **Welp, this is the first time I'm writing in Undyne's POV, so it's certainly something. Also, my characterization of Papyrus before the events of the game is slightly different to the one in the game, so I hope I'm getting this right.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guess who had all the other chapters of this story completed all along but simply forgot to upload them? THIS IDIOT!**

 **Yeah, I have nothing to say for myself. At least you guys will get all the remaining chapters in quick succession now...**

* * *

The amount of fun they actually had, turned out to be pretty small. As far as Undyne was concerned at least.

About half an hour after challenging the skeleton to spar with her, she was covered in dirt and sweat, while Papyrus had that same stupid smile on his face as he did when they began.

She was really starting to get tempted to just slap it off him by now.

Then, he had the audacity to ask if this meant he was in the guard yet.

"You... You really think just because you can throw some magic around you're ready to take on a human, do you?"

For the first time since they met, her anger seemed to reached him, and there was a slight droop to his shoulders. "But you said-"

"I know what I said." Undyne moved one hand through her hair, long red strands catching slightly on her claws. "But really, the only thing you've proven is that you're an idiot."

"What?!" The skeleton clenched his gloved fists, and she was almost happy she managed to get him to actually express an emotion that is familiar enough for her to deal with.

"You're naive enough to believe just holding your own against me in a mock fight is enough to deserve a spot among the most revered fighters of the Underground? Come on, I wasn't even trying."

That was a complete lie, but it slipped out before she could stop it, and it was too late for Undyne to take it back now.

For the longest time, Papyrus didn't respond. Instead he was scuffling his feet and staring at the ground. Undyne wasn't sure what she was expecting of him.

Then he looked up and the smile was back again, and it seemed genuine enough to actually make any more words die out in her throat.

"Alright, I understand." He tugged the scarf tighter around his neck, worried with the frayed edges for a bit. "Thank you for having me anyway."

She watched his back as he left. There was something in her gut, tight and uncomfortable, that she couldn't quite name. Something Undyne wasn't very familiar with.

She wasn't sure why, despite the steady smirk and the even tone of his voice, she still felt like he was somehow lying to her.

* * *

It takes weeks before Undyne even thinks about him again.

It lingered in the back of her mind, a distant awareness bothering her that didn't go away entirely no matter how hard she tried, but she's busy.

And then she is sitting in a overly-cozy living room, drinking a hot beverage that is entirely too sweet, because Asgore doesn't know how to moderate things when it comes to sugar and golden flower tea, and suddenly it hits her.

She almost choked on her drink, and the king had to pat her on the back hard, almost breaking her spine in the process, before she can breath properly again.

"I can't believe I didn't see." She mumbled into the cup.

"Didn't see what?" Asgore is asking her, full of kind smiles and worried eyes and Undyne has to swallow twice before answering.

She jumped from the sofa like it had caught on fire. "He's you. He's like you, I mean. You're the same, you're both idiots."

Asgore blinked at her before bursting out in hearty laughter. "Then maybe you should go tell him that."

"Yeah, I should."

* * *

She avoids Snowdin like she avoids Hotland. And for the same reasons too, extreme temperatures don't sit well with the Captain of the royal guard.

The local people know her by sight still, many greeting her along the way, slowing down her trek. By the time she arrives at the skeleton's house, helpfully pointed in the right direction by the local inn keep, she is frozen down to the bones, no pun intended.

The wooden front is liberally decorated with bright, flickering lights, every color represented, and Undyne has a sinking suspicion they don't have anything to do with the approaching local fest.

She notices the two mailboxes, one overflowing with trash while the other remains depressingly bare, and recalls the mention of a brother somewhere.

Considering the kind of impression Papyrus left on her, Undyne can't help but wonder what kind of guy this brother would be. She supposes she might find out soon.

There's no immediate answer to her knocking, so she tries again, harder this time. She hears banging from somewhere in the back of the house, followed by an irritated voice addressing somebody unresponsive, and at last the door being opened.

Much like last time, Undyne can't hep but register the... interesting appearance before her.

One has to wonder where one even finds a pink frilly apron with a bone motif in the Underground. That could be considered a skill in itself.

"Captain Undyne?" Papyrus can barely hide his surprise at seeing her on his doorstep. "What-"

"Just Undyne is fine." She interrupts hastily. "Look, I need to talk to you."

Vaguely she can hear the sound of a tv set and a heavy smell of burned food. Papyrus doesn't move a muscle.

"C-can I talk to you?"

"You are." He intones, leaning against the side of the door.

Undyne wonders if this skeleton is the pure embodiment of passive-aggressiveness.

"No, I mean I need to _talk_ talk." She tries, trying to resist the urge to punch him in the gut. "I was wrong."

She expected him to scoff. Or to laugh at her in a conceited manner, maybe, pleased by her embarrassment.

Instead, there is only kindness on his face.

"Do come in, please. I hope you like spaghetti!"

* * *

 **As always, thank you for the lovely comments. You guys are too nice!**


	3. Chapter 3

Calling it spaghetti is a travesty. Whatever is congealing on her plate right now is not edible.

But frankly, Undyne is of the opinion that she has probably pissed of this skeleton enough for the moment, so she decides not to mention it.

"It's pretty good for a first time, bro." The other one, Sans, says lowly, ungracefully stuffing his face. Undyne is both horrified at his lack of manners and envious of his lack of tastebuds. But at least it explains the crime on her plate.

"Really? I don't know..." Papyrus stabs his pasta with a fork and it stays upright like a flagpole. "I don't think it's supposed to be this consistency."

"Nah, it's great." His brother ensures, enforcing his point by upending an entire bottle of ketchup on his serving. Undyne secretly wishes he would choke in it already.

She ends up feeding most of it to the fluffy white dog under the table. When Papyrus asks her if she would like some more, she decides to politely decline.

"So, what did you come to talk to me about?" He asks levelly, while his hands are busy trying to scrub the burnt patches out of a pan. His voice sounds completely flat again, as if he's not really listening at all.

Undyne isn't even sure what she came to say anymore, stunned into silence by his off-handish demeanor. A few days ago, it was as if Papyrus wanted nothing more with his life then to become part of the royal guard. Like he'd murder a man just to get the opportunity. (Or in fact, he wouldn't, and wasn't that just the problem?)

And now, the entire house could start burning down around them and he wouldn't stop doing his dishes.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" She blurts out. Not the thing she wanted to say, but it might articulate her current feelings quite accurately.

The skeleton seems to ignore her, working on at the chore in front of him undisturbed. "What do you mean?"

Being ignored is not high on the list of things Undyne, Captain of the Royal Guard, puts up with. And if there's one thing she knows, it's that the ignorant attitude Papyrus is trying to pull off is completely fake too.

"I mean that you're acting like a complete weirdo, ok? I thought you wanted to join the royal guard?"

"I do." His movements slow minutely.

"Then why are you so... so-" Her voice dies away and Papyrus stops, raises his head and stares at her.

"Why am I so what?" His face seems hard somehow, resentful. "Childish? Naïve? Weak?"

Undyne swallows. "Why are you so accepting?"

He raises a brow at her but doesn't say anything.

"Why can't you fight like you mean it? Why do you just accept it when I turn you down for no valid reason? Why don't you _say_ anything?"

He smiles and it's fraying at the edges, like a speech he has rehearsed over and over. "Because I don't want to."

Undyne grabs his arm and he flinches and stills, stops moving altogether. "You don't want to or you don't know how to?"

"I. Don't. Want. To." He says through clenched teeth. His empty sockets are staring at the foam in the sink, not at her. "It's just who I am."

There is something lurking beneath that statement, that Undyne isn't sure she ever wants to find out. "Ok..." She breathes, letting him go and watching as he returns to his dishes almost automatically, like he can't _not_ do it. "Ok... but you still want to be in the guard right?"

Papyrus nods tightly, the faraway look is back on his face.

"Ok, then you're in."

He looks at her again, some surprise on his features. The hesitance of a person so accustomed to people lying to him, it has become an impulse. Somebody so used to being treated like a stupid child they have given up on trying to convince people otherwise. "Really?"

"Well, you'll have to do training first, of course." Undyne tries to relax her shoulders, tries to not feel that she is making a horrible mistake. "But if you satisfy me in that regard, then yes."

"And in the meantime?" He asks, fingers clenched around the towel. Undyne wonders if they're shaking.

"In the meantime, you would hold the position of sentry." Which means he can come report to her and Undyne wouldn't need to traverse Snowdin again. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Except of course, Papyrus would never kill anyone. He will never be able to officially join the royal guard.

Undyne looks at him and she can tell he knows. They both know.

But maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe it is pretending that at least in one aspect of his life, he can feel like a proper adult, that is enough for Papyrus.

"Alright." He says, laying down the cloth and turning towards her. The resignation on his face has dissipated and it's back to the carefully crafted mask of cheerfulness Undyne was convinced was his true expression when they just met.

She would almost wish she could go back to that misconception. Ignorance is bliss.

She shakes the thought off quickly and lays a hand on his shoulder again. This time he doesn't flinch. "Also, I'm going to teach you how to make a proper batch of spaghetti. Because that was horrible."

Papyrus laughs, honest to god laughs out loud, and Undyne can't help but grin too.

Some honesty might to them good.

* * *

 **And that's the end. Thanks for reading and commenting, everyone!**

 **My tumblr: sharada-n**


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